Discernment Teaching
When You Smell What Is Not There
A Teaching on Scent, Memory, Discernment, and Spiritual Sensitivity
There are some things we experience in life that are hard to explain. You can be sitting in your bedroom. Your house is clean. Nobody is smoking. Nobody has been smoking. There is no candle burning. There is no food cooking. There is no obvious source. And suddenly, you smell something.
For me, there have been times when I smell smoke. Not flowers. Not perfume. Not anything soft or sweet. It is a heavy, masculine kind of smoke. Almost like someone smoking a cigarette, pipe, or cigar.
And when that happens, I pause. Because I know my home. I know who comes in and out. I know I am not a smoker. I know nobody is smoking in my bedroom. I know that smell is not naturally supposed to be there.
So I have asked God, "Lord, what is this? What does this mean? Are You showing me something? Is this memory? Is this warning? Is this spiritual? Is this connected to something or someone?"
Many people have moments like this and never say anything. They are afraid people will think they are strange. They are afraid people will say they are imagining things. They are afraid people will call them crazy. But I want to say this gently: you are not crazy just because you notice something others do not notice. But we do need wisdom. We need spiritual discernment. We need practical wisdom. We need medical wisdom. And we need biblical balance.
Smells Can Carry Memory
Most of us understand scent memory. You can be walking outside and smell fresh cut grass, and suddenly you are a child again. You remember summer. You remember school being out. You remember running through a yard. You remember a neighborhood. You remember a moment you had not thought about in years.
Or you smell onions in the grass. Or somebody is baking a cake. Or you smell coffee. Or a certain cologne passes by. Or you smell a hospital hallway, a church basement, a grandmother's house, a barber shop, a school cafeteria, rain on pavement, or a certain kind of soap. And suddenly, you are not just smelling. You are remembering.
The scent becomes a doorway to a moment. That is how God made us. Our sense of smell is deeply connected to memory and emotion. So sometimes a smell is not spiritual warfare. Sometimes it is memory. Sometimes it is grief. Sometimes it is longing. Sometimes it is love. Sometimes it is the soul remembering someone who mattered.
When a Smell Is Connected to a Person
In my own life, there are people I remember through scent. One of my closest workers, my handyman, Diego, was a heavy smoker. He did not smoke in my house. But I remember him. I remember how he looked. I remember the smell of smoke connected to him. I remember him drinking black coffee. I remember his presence.
And there are times I miss him. There are times I long for him. There are times when the memory of him comes close to my heart. So when I smell that heavy smoke, I have to ask, "Lord, is this memory? Is this grief? Is this my heart remembering someone who was part of my life?"
Because sometimes the scent is not about the smoke. Sometimes the scent is about the person. Sometimes your soul is saying, "I remember." Sometimes your heart is saying, "That person mattered." Sometimes the smell becomes a reminder of connection, loss, longing, or unfinished emotion. And that is not something to be ashamed of.
God made us with memory. God made us with feeling. God made us with the ability to associate people with places, smells, sounds, and moments. So when a scent brings someone to mind, we can pause and pray: "Lord, thank You for the people who have been part of my life. Lord, heal any grief connected to this memory. Lord, if there is something I need to release, help me release it. Lord, if this is a call to pray, show me how to pray."
But We Must Also Check the Natural First
Now let me bring wisdom. If you smell smoke, do not ignore it. Smoke can be a real warning sign. The sense of smell helps alert us to danger, including smoke from a fire, dangerous fumes, spoiled food, or gas leaks. So before we make something spiritual, we need to check the natural.
Look around the house. Check the outlets. Check appliances. Check vents. Check your HVAC system. Check your laundry room. Check nearby apartments or neighbors if you live close to others. Check outside. Check if someone may be smoking nearby and the smell is traveling through a vent, window, wall, hallway, or shared space. Check your smoke alarms.
That is not fear. That is wisdom. Faith does not cancel common sense. Discernment does not cancel safety. Prayer does not cancel checking the source. If there is a real fire, electrical issue, or smoke source, you do not just sit there and say, "I wonder what this means spiritually." You get safe. You call for help. You get it checked. Because God can speak spiritually, but God also gives us wisdom naturally.
When the Smell Is Not Actually in the Room
There is also a medical side we should understand. There is something called phantosmia, which means smelling an odor that is not actually present in your environment. Cleveland Clinic explains that phantom smells can be pleasant or unpleasant, occasional or constant, and can affect one or both nostrils.
And listen to this: tobacco smoke is one of the smells people sometimes report when dealing with phantom smells. Common causes can include colds, sinus infections, allergies, nasal polyps, migraines, certain medications, dental issues, smoking exposure, and sometimes infections like COVID. Less commonly, phantom smells can be connected to neurological conditions.
Now, I am not saying that to make anybody afraid. I am saying that because wisdom matters. If a phantom smell is persistent, recurring, troubling, or lasts more than a few weeks, contact a healthcare provider so the underlying cause can be evaluated.
That does not mean you are crazy. That does not mean you are not spiritual. That does not mean God is not speaking. It means your body may also be trying to tell you something. And we are not so spiritual that we ignore the body. God made the body. God made the brain. God made the nose. God made the nervous system. So we honor God by stewarding all of it.
Do Not Let People Make You Feel Strange
Some people have experiences they cannot explain. They smell a scent. They sense a presence. They feel a shift in the room. They wake up with something heavy on their spirit. They walk into a place and feel uneasy. They smell smoke, flowers, perfume, cologne, or something connected to a person or memory. And because they cannot explain it, they hide it.
But I want to tell you: do not let people make you ashamed of sensitivity. Some people are naturally sensitive. Some people are spiritually discerning. Some people are emotionally connected to memory. Some people have strong sensory awareness. Some people notice what others dismiss. That does not automatically mean every experience is spiritual. But it also does not mean nothing is happening. The key is not panic. The key is discernment.
The Four Questions I Ask
When I smell something that is not supposed to be there
Is There a Natural Source?
Before anything else, I check the natural. Is something burning? Is smoke coming through a vent? Is someone nearby smoking? Is there an electrical issue? Is there something in the wall, outlet, appliance, or HVAC system? Is there any safety concern? If yes, I deal with that immediately.
Is There a Medical or Physical Explanation?
If the smell keeps returning and there is no natural source, I do not ignore the possibility that my body may be sending a signal. That may mean checking with a doctor, dentist, ENT, or medical provider. That is wisdom.
Is This Connected to Memory or Emotion?
Then I ask, "Does this smell remind me of someone?" Does it bring up grief? Does it bring up longing? Does it bring up a person? Does it bring up an old season? Does it make me feel sad, comforted, unsettled, or reflective? Sometimes the smell is a doorway to a memory that needs prayer.
Is There Spiritual Significance?
Then I ask, "Holy Spirit, are You showing me something?" Is this a warning? Is this a call to prayer? Is this connected to an atmosphere? Is this a reminder to plead the blood of Jesus? Is this a reminder to anoint the room? Is this connected to spiritual warfare? Is this a moment to intercede for someone? That is discernment. Not fear. Not superstition. Discernment.
What Smoke Can Represent Spiritually
In Scripture, smoke can represent different things depending on the context. Smoke can be connected to sacrifice. Smoke can be connected to incense and prayer. Smoke can be connected to the presence of God. Smoke can be connected to judgment. Smoke can be connected to fire. Smoke can be connected to something burning.
So we have to be careful. We cannot say every smoke smell means one thing. A smoke smell does not automatically mean God. A smoke smell does not automatically mean the devil. A smoke smell does not automatically mean danger. A smoke smell does not automatically mean memory. That is why we ask God. "Lord, what is this?"
If it brings fear, torment, heaviness, or confusion — I pray differently.
If it brings a person to mind — I may pray for that person or pray through the grief connected to them.
If it alerts me — I check the house.
If it persists — I check my health.
If it feels spiritually wrong — I take authority in the name of Jesus.
How I Pray When I Smell Smoke
Lord, if this is natural, reveal the source.
Lord, if this is medical, give me wisdom and lead me to the right care.
Lord, if this is memory, heal what needs to be healed.
Lord, if this is grief, comfort me.
Lord, if this is connected to a person, show me how to pray.
Lord, if this is spiritual, expose what needs to be exposed.
Lord, if this is a warning, make it clear.
Lord, if this is an attack, I take authority over it in the name of Jesus.
That kind of prayer keeps us balanced. We do not dismiss it. We do not worship it. We do not fear it. We bring it under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Taking Authority Over the Atmosphere
If I sense that the smell is connected to something spiritual and heavy, I take authority over the atmosphere. I plead the blood of Jesus. I anoint the room. I pray over the bedroom. I speak peace.
I command every unclean spirit, every familiar spirit, every spirit of fear, every spirit of torment, every spirit of grief, every spirit of heaviness, and every spirit not sent by God to leave in the name of Jesus.
I do not negotiate with darkness. I do not entertain fear. I do not let strange atmospheres settle in my house. My bedroom is a place of rest. My home is a place of peace. My house belongs to Jesus.
When It Is Grief or Longing
But sometimes I do not rebuke immediately. Sometimes I pause. Because sometimes what rises in me is not fear. It is longing. I miss someone. I remember someone. I remember their voice. Their smell. Their coffee. Their habits. Their presence.
And in that moment, I do not need to fight. I need to feel. I need to let God minister to my heart. There is a difference between demonic heaviness and human grief. There is a difference between spiritual attack and emotional memory.
So I ask the Holy Spirit: "Lord, what am I dealing with?" Because I do not want to rebuke what needs healing. And I do not want to nurse what needs to be rebuked. That is why discernment matters.
God Can Use Scent as a Prayer Prompt
I also believe God can use scent as a prayer prompt. Sometimes when a person comes to mind, it may be because God wants you to pray. You may not know why. You may not know what they need. But if their memory comes strongly, pray. Do not overcomplicate it. Just say: "Lord, You know what this person needs. Cover them. Help them. Heal them. Save them. Strengthen them. Give them peace. Let Your will be done." Sometimes God does not give us the full explanation. Sometimes He gives us a burden. And a burden is an invitation to pray.
Do Not Build Doctrine From One Experience
Now let me be clear. We should not build doctrine from one smell. We should not create a whole theology from one experience. We should not chase signs. We should not become obsessed. We should not start looking for smoke every night. Our foundation is still the Word of God. Our authority is still Jesus Christ. Our comfort is still the Holy Spirit. Our covering is still the blood. Experiences must bow to Scripture. Feelings must bow to truth. Spiritual impressions must be tested. If an experience pulls you into fear, obsession, confusion, occult curiosity, or spiritual bondage, it is not from God.
What This Can Teach Others
This teaching is for the person who smells something and wonders, "What is happening to me?"
It is for the person who smells a perfume that reminds them of their mother.
It is for the person who smells cigar smoke and thinks of their father.
It is for the person who smells coffee and remembers someone they loved.
It is for the person who smells flowers where there are no flowers.
It is for the person who smells smoke and cannot find a source.
It is for the person who has been praying, asking God, "What does this mean?"
Here is what I want you to know: You are not crazy. But you do need wisdom. Check the natural. Check the body. Check the memory. Check the spirit. And bring it all under Jesus.
A Prayer for When You Smell Something You Cannot Explain
Lord Jesus,
I bring this experience under Your authority.
If there is a natural source, reveal it. If there is a safety issue, expose it quickly. If there is something in my home that needs attention, show me. If there is something happening in my body, give me wisdom and lead me to the right help.
If this is connected to memory, bring healing. If this is connected to grief, bring comfort. If this is connected to someone I need to pray for, lead me in prayer. If this is a spiritual warning, make it clear. If this is an attack, I take authority over it in the name of Jesus.
I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, my body, my room, my home, and my atmosphere. I reject fear. I reject confusion. I reject torment. I receive peace. I receive clarity. I receive wisdom.
Holy Spirit, guide me. Do not let me ignore what needs attention. Do not let me fear what needs prayer. Do not let me spiritualize what needs practical action. Do not let me dismiss what You are trying to show me. Let everything in my life come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Declaration Over the Home
This home belongs to Jesus.
This bedroom belongs to Jesus.
This atmosphere belongs to Jesus.
Every door is covered.
Every window is covered.
Every wall is covered.
Every vent is covered.
Every entrance is covered.
Every space is covered by the blood of Jesus.
No fear lives here. No torment lives here. No confusion lives here. No unclean spirit has permission here. No strange fire has permission here. No demonic assignment has permission here.
This is a house of peace. This is a house of prayer. This is a house of healing. This is a house where the Holy Spirit is welcome.
And if God is speaking, I will hear with clarity. If my body is signaling, I will move with wisdom. If my heart is remembering, I will receive healing. If the enemy is attacking, I will stand in authority.
I am not afraid. I am covered. I am discerning. I am anchored in Jesus.
Closing Thought
When I smell smoke and I cannot find the source, I do not automatically assume one thing. I pause. I pray. I check. I discern. I ask God for wisdom.
Because sometimes scent is memory. Sometimes scent is warning. Sometimes scent is medical. Sometimes scent is emotional. Sometimes scent is spiritual. And sometimes it may be more than one thing at the same time.
But whatever it is, I do not have to be afraid. I belong to Jesus. My home belongs to Jesus. My mind belongs to Jesus. My body belongs to Jesus. My memories belong to Jesus. My grief belongs to Jesus. My discernment belongs to Jesus. And I trust Him to make clear what I need to know.
I will not call myself crazy. I will not let fear rule me. I will not ignore wisdom. I will not dismiss discernment. I will simply bring the whole experience under the blood, under prayer, under truth, and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.